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Members Statements Regional And Rural Roads - 7 June 2017

Victorian Parliament - 7 June 2017 - MsKEALY (Lowan) — I am rising to add my concerns about Labor’s drastic cuts to the country roads budget. This has gone to in excess of hundreds of millions of dollars, and the impact on local drivers and businesses has been significant. I refer to correspondence I received from David and Jody Mead from my electorate. Their daughter, an L-plater, was driving and hit big potholes in an area that was restricted to 60 kilometres per hour because it has not been fixed for over six months. With two approaching cars she had no option but to go through potholes, causing a severe jolt to the car and passengers. This has destroyed the tyres. I have got photos if someone would like to look at them. It is going to cost up to $1000. It is a cruel cost to this family, who simply cannot afford it. Her husband has had no regular work for over two years since being made redundant. I quote:

Surely VicRoads and the government has an obligation to fix these potholes before there is a fatality.

Even when there is money about on the back of the flood insurance that has flowed through, the works have been absolutely substandard and are just washing away. Jeffrey Sambell of Edenhope has made a statement:

They have put steep angled drains instead of flat bottoms like nature had shown them, on the side of the roads. I pointed out to a bloke from MEH that the road will just wash away again and he agreed …

These works are not audited. It is an appalling state. We have got roads west of Lake Bolac that have been repaired five times in a year and are still not fixed. Where is this government in terms of making sure roadworks are done to a safe standard?